


Is it Natural or do you Dye it?

by sheepkun



Category: Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: Also Yu is tease but we all knew that, Bus Crushes, Chie is like a manager or something, Don't copy to another site, Gen, I still don't know how to tag because I feel these are all silly details, M/M, Not wiser though, Office Worker Yosuke, Teacher Yu, This is an AU, Ya' know, Yosuke's kind of, Yu takes really good care of his hair, they're older
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 23:20:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21987283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheepkun/pseuds/sheepkun
Summary: The first time Yosuke meets Yu Narukami, he asks him about his hair.
Relationships: Hanamura Yosuke/Narukami Yu, Hanamura Yosuke/Persona 4 Protagonist, Hanamura Yosuke/Seta Souji, Side Chie/Yukiko
Comments: 43
Kudos: 216





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how this happened or where this came from. I bought Coconut shampoo the other day and it somehow lead to this. Please enjoy whatever the heck I'm doing. ;u;

He meets Yu Narukami on the commute to work.

He'd catch sight of the silver-haired man across the aisle. It was hard to not have his gaze drawn to the perfectly neat, shining bowl cut. Not only because people hardly wore such tacky styles in their day and age, but because no one could get hair that perfectly grayed without dying it, could they?

The thought plagued him constantly, every morning as he was pressed against the window, his eyes inevitably searched for his silent train companion who was completely unaware of Yosuke's probably odd obsession with his hair. Which probably justified why the first thing out of Yosuke's mouth, the first time they ever spoke, was the very inappropriate question of: "Is your hair really like that or do you dye it?"

Contrary to what should have happened, Yosuke didn't get a disapproving brow or a cold shoulder, or even an awkward stare. Instead, the stranger bursts into a fit of giggles.

"Is that why you kept glaring at me all the time?"

Yosuke nearly drops the files he'd been picking up. He was aware he'd been staring but he'd thought he was being subtle about it. It seemed he was as bad at subtlety as he claimed Chie was. With the way the other man always had his nose stuffed in a book during the ride it made sense that Yosuke was surprised at having been found out.

"I wasn't glaring-" he tries to defend, because there was no point in denying the claims of his ogling.

"It's alright. I'm prematurely gray."

Yosuke's unsure of whether or not that's a playful jab or the truth, with the way the man's equally gray eyes are still crinkled at the corners like he finds everything about Yosuke and their situation amusing, and not the least bit embarrassing. Or perhaps it's Yosuke's embarrassment that's the reason for his amusement.

"I see."

Yosuke finishes handing over the last of the files, dusts his knees off even though they hadn't been touching the ground. "Sorry about that, again." he notes, pointing to the pile now safely tucked into the man's arms. "Don't worry about it, you were in a rush."

"I didn't realize we got off at the same stop." Yosuke tacks on, because he's not satisfied with being vaguely creepy once, he has to put his foot in his mouth twice in a row.

"I'm running an errand around here today, actually." he straightens up properly at that, and Yosuke finally realizes their height difference is greater than he'd initially guessed. For some reason he'd been intent on believing he'd be the taller of the two. "Anyways, I'm Yu Narukami, you should talk to me tomorrow, instead of just staring."

Yosuke doesn't have time to really put a word in before Yu Narukami's rushing off, his polished oxford shoes clicking on the pavement as Yosuke watches him jog away neatly, feeling like he'd just been sucker punched. Apparently he's not very good at a poker face; at work Chie's quick to ask him what's got him looking like more of an idiot than usual. As an ex-girlfriend, he thinks Chie has too much of a good time butting into his life, and if it weren't for the fact that she was also his best friend and was dating one of the sought after girls of their High School years he'd find it vaguely suspicious.

As it were Chie manages to haggle the morning's events out of his unwilling lips during their lunch break, the two of them trying and failing to escape the smell of smoke coming from the man settled next to them in the outdoor café.

"You're telling me you've been basically eyeing this guy for like a solid week and you didn't think to tell me?"

"I wasn't eyeing him! And why would I tell? There was nothing to tell, apparently he's prematurely gray is all."

Chie pulls a face that makes her look like a puffer fish, before spouting out a rare swear as if letting out a particularly satisfying burp.

"Bullshit!"

The woman two tables down stares up at them with a vaguely put upon expression and Yosuke has to resist the urge to kick at Chie from under the table. "

Dude." "

I'm just saying no one goes gray before thirty! Was he thirty?"

"I don't know?! I didn't ask his age!"

"You should, next time. Or else I'll forever be convinced this guy just owned you."

"No one says that anymore." Yosuke mumbles, for a lack of better argument, turning his attention back to his sandwich.

The rest of the work day goes by as mind numbingly as it generally does, and Yosuke's glad to be out of the rush hour crowd and on the steps to his apartment a bit before the usual time. Silence greets him, as it often does, along with the pile of dirty laundry he had left on the floor and the plant he was supposed to have watered before leaving. He doesn't bother tending to any of these things, opting instead to grab one of the grocery store sandwiches he'd purchased from the fridge and falling face first onto his bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hair saga continues and Chie starts asking the real questions and we still don't know if Yu's prematurely gray or not. Also if anyone spots any errors in spelling/grammar please let me know and thank you for reading! (Also, I love getting comments and I got some last time that made me smile so hard, thank you!)

Yu Narukami's settled down with a bag next to him. He's got a book open, as usual, his glasses perched so close on the edge of his nose they look ready to just about fall off.  
The bus is emptier than usual, probably because it was the weekend and there were less people rushing to work. Yosuke almost wished he was one of those people, but it was better to put in his extra hours now and get an extended vacation then to cut his much needed down time short.  
He could always do the rest of his chores on Sunday. He thinks about how he's been telling himself that for a week, and internally cringes.

"Ah, look who's here."

Yosuke startles. Narukami has seen him, and he's moving his backpack to the side, leaving the spot open for Yosuke. He hesitates, only for a mere moment, before falling onto it, just as the bus lurches forward. 

"Good morning." 

Narukami smiles, polite and polished. His bowl cut is as neat and in place as usual. From so close, Yosuke realizes the sheen of it.

"Your hair's really shiny." 

Narukami's brows must raise behind his bangs, along with the corner of his lips as he folds his book around a finger. "I-" he pauses for a moment, as if trying to figure out just how to tackle another one of Yosuke's absurd outbursts. 

"Are you trying to ask me which products I use?"

"No! No?" Yosuke pauses. "I was just, making an observation. I think." he shakes his head, resists the urge to slap himself right then and there lest he look more like an idiot. "Sorry, good morning."

Narukami laughs. "I use a coconut oil conditioner." he says, as means of explanation. "It keeps my hair healthy and it smells really nice." 

Yosuke wonders if he's supposed to lean in and sniff at the other man's scalp, but whether or not Narukami's subtle lean is an invitation to do so, he resists the urge. There are some lines he was definitely not planning on crossing upon a mere second meeting. 

"Right, uh, thanks for the tip." 

Narukami says something, then turns back to his book. Yosuke keeps his lips tightly pursed for the rest of the ride, and he's rather relieved when they arrive at Narukami's stop and the other's waving him a friendly good-bye with a 'see you Monday' thrown over his shoulder.

✨

"Why didn't you ask for his number?"

Yosuke makes a face, nearly dropping his doughnut. "The hell?"

Chie rolls her eyes, as she often does when she thinks he's being stupid. Which is frightfully often.

"Isn't he, like, flirting with you?"

He truly balks, definitely drops his doughnut. Curses himself and Chie under his breath, picking it up only to save anyone else the trouble. 

"Of course not! He's probably humoring me, or being a decent person."

"I don't know..." Chie halves her pastry, gives him the side that hadn't been bitten into yet. "I feel like anyone else would have already turned you in to the cops or something."

"I haven't been that creepy."

She snorts, an ugly sound that makes Yosuke feel terribly fond for some reason. "Sure, bud."

Yosuke contemplates the thought of Yu Narukami flirting with him, realizes he hadn't even introduced himself yet, and thinks that Narukami must be some kind of saint for not  
having just told Yosuke off. There was no one in their right mind who would flirt with Yosuke when he had been, on more than one instance, insanely rude. 

"Maybe some people are into that." Chie observes, as he explains this to her, and he shoves at her with a shoulder, lets out a yelp when she nearly dislocates his in return. 

"Seriously, stop saying weird shit."

"Fine, but you should really give him your name next time. Unless you're aiming for mysteriously alluring, in which case, you failed from day one."

If Yosuke hadn't dropped his doughnut, he would have thrown his half of the pastry at Chie's head as she cackled away from him, rushing to the elevator and closing the doors right on his face.


	3. Chapter 3

"Yosuke Hanamura."

"Pardon?"

It's Monday. Yosuke's sleep deprived. He'd spent Sunday attempting to clean his apartment, had made more of a mess of it and completely given up on it for most of the day before getting a burst of energy at nearly midnight and missing most of his eight hours of sleep.

He must _look_ a mess as well, because Narukami's face is definitely twisted into concern, and it's almost laughable that it's Yosuke's exhaustion that sets him off of all things.

"My name. Yosuke Hanamura."

"Ah," Narukami blinks, nods slowly, and then he giggles again, that breathless, silly sound that doesn't suit him at all. "It's nice to meet you Yosuke. Why don't you sit down, you look like you're about to pass out."

Yosuke looks around, notices there are no more empty seats, but Narukami's already standing and he isn't about to say no when he really feels like he's going to faint. And he does. When he wakes up it's to a gentle tap on his cheek and Narukami's voice uncomfortably close to him. Yosuke breathes in and he smells coconut and he suddenly remembers the explanation as to why Narukami's hair looked so silky.

"I'm getting off. You should wake up so you don't miss your stop."

"I-"

Narukami's gone before Yosuke can even so much as manage to mumble his thanks, and he lets his head fall back, painfully, onto the seat, startling the woman next to him.

☕

"Honestly, I feel like this is why you _never_ manage to stay in a relationship."

"Fuck you."

Chie makes an 'oooh', pretends to look a aghast. "Someone is feisty!" she presses scalding coffee into his hands and it's a true testament to Yosuke's soul having long left his body that he doesn't even flinch.

"Thanks." he takes a long, burning sip, lets it numb his tongue and sighs. He hadn't gotten much work done in the first few hours, and Chie had decided it was worth dragging him out of his chair and to the balcony for some air, and coffee. She could be awfully nice when she felt up to it, he supposed.

"I mean it though, you've barely met and he gives you his seat and looks worried? He _has_ to be flirting."

"Or maybe, just maybe, he's one of those people that are really, freakishly kind for no reason."

Chie nods, shrugs. "Can't relate, but I'll drink to it."

She takes a long sip of her own coffee, goes on a tangent about Yukiko and Yosuke listens with only half his mind, the rest of it drifting in out and of abstract thoughts until Chie's pulling him back in by his lapels, telling him to finally get a head start on the documents he had due or she'd fire him.

Which wasn't really an empty threat considering Chie was actually much higher on the corporate scale than he could ever dream of being.

The day ends, thankfully, and Yosuke doesn't have to stay in any later. He finishes everything he has to do, right down to the dreaded spreadsheets, and he's back on the bus, thinking once again, about how much he wishes he'd invested on a car all those years ago.

His old motorcycle was still dead and in need of fixing back in the garage of his apartment building, and just like he'd been meaning to water his plants, he'd been meaning to fix it. Yet as usual, he'd never gotten around to it. Not that the scooter would be a very fetching thing to be puttering around in. It was outdated, for one, and the color was rather gaudy.

But it would probably still be better than being squished into public transport, even if it meant he wouldn't see Narukami again.

Yosuke makes a note to take his ride to the shop as he arrives home, because there was no way he should be pushing away his well being in favor of some stranger, remembers that he hadn't stopped by the convenience store to grab food and decides he'll eat tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke's hobby is being too tired to take care of himself. They know each other's names though now, and that's bit step forward.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a comment that made me really happy on the last chapter and it really motivated me to finish editing this one.

A trip to a coffee shop isn't an irregular occurrence for an office worker. In fact, it's so common, millions of them are found in the early morning or during their lunch break every day. It's common place and there are thousands upon thousands of coffee joints and cafés around the city, so Yosuke's mind doesn't quite process the situation when he looks up from his drink and laptop and finds a familiar head of silver hair standing in line.

For a moment, he thinks it can be anyone else; but the posture and the neat sheen of the bowl cut are too painfully characteristic to belong to any other soul.

"Don't look now, but Narukami's here." Yosuke hisses, lowering himself as carefully as he can down his seat.

Chie, ever the very careful, inconspicuous sort, turns in her chair so loudly it draws the attention of almost every sane person in the establishment.

" _The_ Narukami?"

Yosuke thinks of throttling himself, or Chie. Maybe both of them at the same time. He might as well have asked Chie to announce their presence at the top of her lungs. She looks vaguely embarrassed for a mere minute, mumbling something that's sort of an apology, before going back to practically frying the back of Narukami's head like she's trying to figure him out from a single look.

"He's...pretty." she says, like that somehow wasn't something expected. "I thought he'd be, well, not _pretty_."

Yosuke could probably argue against Chie's whole statement. He's pretty sure he hadn't put Narukami and pretty in the same sentence up until that point.

"You didn't tell me he was so good looking."

Chie pouts, as if Yosuke had been withholding the information from her on purpose. As if he'd been spending his time silently musing over Yu Narukami's appearance the whole time. Okay, perhaps he had. But just his hair. And maybe his freckles. And his eyes. Nothing else!

"Why are you so intent on that?! You have a wife!"

She shrugs. "Doesn't stop me from appreciating the good things in life Yosuke-are you blushing?"

"No!" he squeaks, quickly ducking behind his screen and pretending to focus on a blank document. "Now pipe down already! Do you _want_ him to come over?"

He was mortified and praying Narukami would just grab his drink to go and leave already before Chie decided she would rise and go over and greet him, or worse, invite him to join them. He could see it happening in his mind's eye, and his fight or flight instincts were in overdrive when the bell over the door tinkled merrily and Yukiko stepped in, staring around for them before waving with a bright smile.

It's Saturday, which means Yukiko's off work and with the free time to come see Chie during lunch. Yosuke thought that it was really some sort of sadistic PDA, the way they were so into each other and constantly pulled such stunts.

He's about to call her over when the world seems to pause, before resuming in slow motion.

Yukiko's eyes wander the place, land on Narukami and it's like watching a light go off, or in Yosuke's case, it's like watching any chance at getting out of the situation with his ego unscathed, go down the drain.

"Yu-san?"

Narukami turns, his brows furrow before his face clears and he smiles. It's not his usual teasing sort, it's bright and lights up his whole face and its absolutely uncalled for. Chie's obviously just as shocked as him, though for clearly different reasons.

"Yukiko-chan, hey."

Yukiko smiles, nearly like a shy school girl and Chie's face goes from upset, to confused to horrified before it settles on a sort of awed realization.

"Oh my god, Yosuke."

"What?"

"Yosuke." she's shaking his arm and he's trying to free himself from her grip while her voice gets increasingly higher pitched. " _Yosuke_ -"

"What? What?!"

"Your bus crush, Yosuke...your bus crush. He's Yukiko's very same crush from college."

Yosuke balks, finally gets his arm free and rubs at the spot that would probably bruise later, frowning. "How can you even know that?"

"Because Yukiko's got that _look_ on her face. And the only other person she's ever liked beyond me was this guy from her college basketball team."

Yosuke doesn't mention how it seems kind of conceited that Yukiko had basically only ever dated Chie. Though that's probably just him being bitter over the fact that none of his relationships had bore much fruit in the long run.

"Hey, wait! He's not my crush! I never said he was my crush," he groans. "Chie!"

She shushes him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I moved. Been here for about a month. Got a good position, it was hard to pass up."

Yukiko nods. "That's great. I live here myself, with Chie."

"Ah! The girlfriend you told me about."

"Well...wife now." she adds, looking down with a faint flush on her cheeks that's absolutely love struck.

"Oh, wow. It really has been a while since we've been in touch. Congratulations!" they both chuckle, a little awkward and nearly nostalgic and Yosuke's stuck between cringing and kind of finding the whole thing rather endearing.

"I should get going. Nanako's visiting and I don't want to keep her waiting." he gestures to the door and Yukiko nods.

"It was nice seeing you,"

"It really was. Let's meet up sometime."

"Of course! I'll introduce you to Chie."

"I'd love that."

Narukami gives another one of his bright smiles before he's out the door with his two to-go cups leaving Yosuke jelly boned from relief and mental acrobatics and Chie still staring slack jawed as Yukiko bounces over to them, starting to chatter about her reunion with her old schoolmate.

📞

"What are the odds?"

"I'd say, pretty fucking low." Yosuke grumbles, head in his hands.

They're both safely on the company building's roof, Chie sipping bubble tea and Yosuke nursing the worst canned coffee of his life.

"Crazy." Chie lets out a breath. "Really crazy! It was really him, you know?"

"Yeah, you've said. A ton of times, these past, three days." Yosuke notes, even if he himself was still trying to wrap his head around it.

"You wouldn't happen to have his number, would you?" Chie asks, suddenly.

"His number?! " he backpedals. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Well, Yukiko realized a little too late she didn't have it anymore, and I'd assumed you'd have asked."

Yosuke chokes. "I didn't! I barely know the guy Chie, what the _hell_?"

"I don't know...you've been having pretty consistent morning meetings," she raises up a finger. "You've got his name, you've smelled his hair, I'm sure that already counts for something."

He opens his mouth to counter the hair comment, sighs in defeat.

"Those are going to stop. I decided to get my scooter fixed."

"Oh, but you're going to get his number before that, right?"

Yosuke shrugs, deciding to not commit to answer.

He in fact, had no plans to ask for Narukami's number. It just seemed, weirdly intrusive and oddly flirty and he certainly wasn't flirting and had no intention to do so.

Maybe he could suggest trading business cards. That was pretty cool and professional.

Yosuke doesn't see Narukami for a week after that. He foregoes his fixed scooter for three days in favor of stepping onto the crowded bus with some strange thing almost akin to hope. It gnaws at a part of him, always in the back of his mind, even as he decides to give up on the whole ordeal. And by some sick twist of irony, Yosuke finds himself regreting not having taken the risk of asking for Narukami's number. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was a little surprised because initially I wasn't really going to have Yukiko appear much but she showed up and I love her so-I feel like after you're an adult and meet up with old schoolmates, the conversation usually goes along the lines of "Let's get together sometime" and then you never do. Also, Yosuke missed the basic rule of Bus Crushing: get the person's contact info after a week or they're gone forever.  
> Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys! I'll try to update soon! <3


	5. Chapter 5

Yu Narukami crosses his mind more often than Yosuke has to cross the street to get to the restaurant opposite his workplace. Still, visualizing him seemed to do nothing in regards to his total disappearance. Yosuke sometimes drifted back to the café he'd seen him in last time, with a sort of hopeful hopelessness that always left him disappointed. 

At the pharmacy, he bumps into a stand of coconut conditioner, claiming to make hair ten times softer than usual. His hand fumbles with the cap before he's really thinking about it, and the smell ignites the part of him that had been valiantly attempting to not think about Narukami anymore. The scent's too uncannily similar to not be the same, or perhaps Yosuke's so far gone that he'll take anything he can get, even scraps. 

Chie does a good job of not pointing out how much he's moping, and Yukiko more than once, promises to try and dig around for a way to get in touch with Yu. Yosuke knows it's more for his sake than hers, especially since she does such a terrible job of pretending otherwise.

It would figure that a guy like Narukami wouldn't have Instagram. Yosuke wouldn't put it past him to still own a phone with a keypad and believe that cordless phones were better. He even tries searching him up on Facebook, in a fit of nighttime desperation that results in nothing but faceless suggestions and one guy that was most certainly not his Narukami. Not, that Narukami was his in any way, shape, or form.

He's pitiful to the point that one of his co-workers asks if he's going through a break up, offering him unneeded words of comfort and wisdom. Yosuke feels too bad to tell him otherwise, and valiantly ignores Chie's pointed glances in his direction as he accepts the chocolate bar that's left on his desk with a neat note telling him to 'cheer up'. 

"Hey man, we're having a mixer tonight, if you want to come."  
Yosuke blinks. His confusion must be visible on his face because his seat neighbor is quick to explain, looking rather shame faced. 

"I just-assumed that since you're single now, you might want to join us?"

"Oh." 

Yosuke drops his face into his hands, terrified at how much things had escalated. He nearly jumps out of his skin as Chie approaches them and the guy leaning into his space jumps back as quick as if he'd been burned. 

"You guys have got it all wrong, Yosuke didn't break up, he's heartbroken." she gives him a non too subtle thumbs up, acting as if she'd saved the day and not made things worse. 

"It's different." 

"Even better then!" Yamada, Yosuke notes his nametag in an abject manner, exclaims, seemingly deeming it safe to slack off again. 

"I don't know..." He wouldn't go as far as to say he was love sick, or even heartbroken, even if there were moments wherein his chest constricted so tightly it came dangerously close to mimicking the feeling. "I haven't been to a mixer since college."

"There's no pressure. If you decide you want to show up, we're meeting at the karaoke bar by the station."

Chie brings him into a chokehold. "Are you going?"

"Of course not!"

"Hm," she sniffs. "I think you should. You never know..."

"What do you mean?!" she lets him go and saunters off barking at him to get back to work over her shoulder, leaving Yosuke even more conflicted than he'd been before.

There was no way that Chie was psychic, was there? She was probably just trying to get him to put himself back out there in the hopes that he'd stop going around sighing every spare second of the day. Perhaps she even had a point. Yosuke was beyond being annoyed at himself and the strange longing he had to just see Narukami one more time. 

Just one more time.

It's nearing seven when he slams the door of his house, hair mussed from running nervous fingers through it. Being alone at home did nothing to make him stop thinking about Narukami, and it seemed that the fates were conspiring that he go out after all.   
It was hard to not feel jittery even as he tried to calm himself down, trying to feel reassure that it wasn't a big deal. Still, it had been quite some time since Yosuke had gone drinking casually, let alone flirted with anyone. He realizes, with a sort of detached sense of horror that his singular interaction with a person outside of work and his friend circle had been with Narukami. 

🎤

There aren't that many people. The atmosphere is cozy and light. It should be fun. Yosuke would probably be having fun if he just, focused on what was going on. He kept drifting for some reason. To the lights on the ceiling, to the snacks spread on the table, to everything and anything beyond the bodies flanked around him. The girl across from him at the table had long since given up on making any form of small talk with him, deeming him beyond saving, from the way she practically glared at him from over the rim of her glass.

Yosuke has the decency to look apologetic as the next person clambers for the microphone, and there's some ceremony around the song choices, which is stopped in turn due to a sudden knock that cuts through the noise.

"Narukami! You made it!"

Yosuke's throat clenches, nearly losing the grip on his drink as he rises so quickly, the table rattles, making everyone's eyes land on him.

"Bathroom." he croaks, terribly afraid to look up and find Narukami's gaze on him as well. As he rushes out he catches a faint scent of coconut and cinnamon and hates that he doesn't have to look to know it's him.

And now that he was there, Yosuke was running away.

What kind of special brand of idiot was he?

He's considering driving his head under the cheap spray of water when he hears it.

"Yosuke?"

The way his stomach practically swoops makes him want to run back into the stall and lock himself in there for an indefinite amount of eternity. He turns, face still dripping onto his shirt.

"H-hey."

Narukami blinks at him, and then his lips curl, all soft around the edges, amused and concerned and Yosuke's done for. 

In hindsight, saying "Where've you been" had been the worst possible way to start a conversation. It was accusatory and made it seem like Yosuke, a practical stranger, had some sort of hold over Narukami's life. He didn't. In fact, he was nothing in the grand scheme of things. 

But as with most things regarding Yosuke and his absolute lacking social skills, Narukami had just chuckled, grabbed paper towels to wipe at Yosuke's wet chin, and launched into an easy explanation as to his absence. Like he were merely relaying the events to an old friend and not the absolute nut job who'd somehow developed a crush from a few short conversations on the commute to work. 

And, it was a crush, wasn't it? There was no point in denying it when Yosuke couldn't find it in himself to stop from staring at Narukami like he was a marvel. 

"I had a really bad fever and had to be away from work for a while. I work with kids and nobody wanted to risk it..." he glances at Yosuke from underneath his lashes, like he's expecting to be scolded. Which makes absolutely no sense at all. Narukami owes him nothing, especially not an explanation.   
Yosuke supposes his overreaction was to blame for that. He kind of wishes he could just take the night from the top so he could at least pretend he was vaguely more composed   
than he was coming off. Though, considering how they'd met, Yosuke was certain that if he did suddenly stop putting his foot in his mouth it would likely tip Narukami off more than him continuing his habit for stupidity.

"Are you alright, now?"

"Yeah," he grins. "I think everything just caught up to me. It was a new job, and it was all a bit overwhelming at first. Talking to you was a sort of reprieve, and the whole time I was bed ridden I kept wishing I had gotten your number." 

He steps away, discards the papers into the bin, runs his fingers through his bangs and gives a strained little laugh. 

"It's kind of silly, huh?"

"No!" Yosuke sucks in a breath. "No, no, it's not. Jeez, I-I've kind of, beating myself up-what I mean is, you can have it." 

"Huh?"

"My number. I...missed talking to you too so..." Yosuke scratches at his head, and Narukami looks at him, really looks at him, and no one should be allowed to look so endearing under the harsh, ugly, fluorescent lights of the bathroom like that.

"Thanks, Yosuke."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke's smooth. Real smooth. Yu's back. He wasn't even gone that long! Were you guys expecting them to meet like that again? Psychic Chie is back.   
> Anyways, does anyone else have that well meaning coworker that just, says and asks stuff they really shouldn't? Yeah. I had so much fun with this chapter. Yosuke has a crush, Yu's still really pretty, but that's now new. I hope ya'll enjoyed!~ And to the person that liked the business card bit, thank you, it made my day that you liked it. ´u`


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel it should be said once more to everyone who comments and kudos, I love you all!! Seeing your comments and thoughts really puts a pep in my step! Enjoy Yosuke being an adult that does adult things!

His coworkers that had been present at the mixer make fun of him for days. He can't walk in without accidentally making eye contact with someone who'll break into a coughing fit that's clearly laughter. 

It's all in good fun, and Yosuke can't even be mad when he gets to text Yu over his lunch break to the sound of Chie grumbling about how not even Yukiko texts her during lunch break to which Yosuke has to explain that it's not like that with him and Yu.  
They're just friends.

Yu sends him pictures of cats he spots around the school he works at, and of the ones that hang around his balcony that he claims are not his, since his building did not allow pets. It sounded like an utter lie considering he had named all of them, though Yosuke supposed it would be a little alarming if they truly were Yu's, considering there seemed to be a different cat for every day of the month.

Yosuke sends blurry pictures of Chie, snaps of his food and his spreadsheets, the likes of which always result in Yu sending an array of laughing emojis and Yosuke's lips twitching in a smile of his own.  
It's all fun and games until things start getting a little too odd for his peace of mind.

"Hey, are you bringing your boyfriend to the party?"

"What?"

His coworker rolls her eyes like he's telling a particularly good joke that flies completely over Yosuke's head.

🍾

He's joining Chie and Yukiko for dinner when he finally decides to vent out his month long frustration.

"Why does everyone think we're dating?" Yosuke grumbles as Yukiko looks up from the menu across from him with wide, surprised eyes.

"You're not dating?!"  
"No!" he nearly sends his glass toppling off the table as a chill of sorts sinks into his stomach. "Does Yu think we are?"

"He didn't say anything, I just assumed." Yukiko notes as if it had been obvious, smoothing her shirt.  
Yosuke lets the hands that had been about to pull out his own hair drop in relief.

They're settled in a nice, street corner Italian restaurant, hours after Yosuke spent a good minute freaking out in the office bathroom over the fact that some of the people at work were actually still genuinely certain he and Narukami were a thing.

"We're just friends." Yosuke stresses.

"Yeah, sure." Chie says. "Friends." 

Yosuke ignores how bitter she sounds in favor of deciding what to order.

He makes sure to very pointedly draw the line with the others at the office once it gets too overbearing. There were only so many knowing grins he could take every time he so much as glanced at his phone. News spread fast, and soon he's getting comforting pats on his shoulders as if he'd been moping all over again.

"Unrequited love sucks man, but I'm sure he's going to see what a great guy you are."

How they had jumped to that conclusion when Yosuke had merely been trying to clear things up was beyond him. A part of him thought Chie turning the rumor mill had something to do it, but he doesn't have the courage to bring it up as a deadline draws near and she takes to glaring more and more often. 

Work is stressful enough for the solid week before the company party that no one teases Yosuke or brings up Yu at all anymore. Yosuke would have almost forgotten the whole debacle if he didn't spend his breaks and the moments during overtime where no one was watching, texting said reason for the mess he was in.

Yu sends him motivational images, all with equally varying degrees of gaudy Comic Sans, or stay up with him, grading tests while Yosuke reviewed the same document for the fifth time, his eyes burning with the strain of staring at a screen for too long. If he weren't so exhausted at the end of every day, Yosuke would have thought the whole thing was sort of cute, as it was, he could only find it in himself to be immensely thankful for the support of someone who wasn't in danger of stabbing him with a plastic fork.

Eventually, the rush comes to an end and the pressure's off. People return to mingling, idling by the coffee machine and talking about other's lives. Of course, the subject shifts from Yosuke's love, or lack of it, to the company party. Who would bring who? Would Taichi bring his wife again? Hadn't Rin broken up with her boyfriend? Would someone show up alone? Who would bring the after party alcohol? 

Yosuke steered far from these conversations, slinking away whenever anyone tried to rope him in, and avoiding the crowded elevators at all costs. Chie is, expectedly, impossible to avoid, and Yosuke can only sigh as they're both piled into the lift, the numbers changing slowly as she clears her throat and stares at him from the corner of her eye.

"Long week, huh?"

"Yeah..." 

"So," Chie shoves her hands into the pockets of her trousers. "Are you bringing Narukami or do I have to invite him for you?"

"I'm not bringing anyone." 

Chie snorts. "La-me. You can bring him along as a friend! If you say there's nothing between you, I believe you."

Yosuke thinks Chie sounds both the opposite of honest and placating, but he merely purses his lips.

"But that's not what everyone else will be like."

"What does everyone else matter?"

The doors slide open and she stalks off across the lobby, leaving Yosuke to gape at her and nearly forget to press the button to the garage, where his scooter waited for him.

What did everyone else matter?

Yu was his friend. They'd been talking for a good while. Yosuke liked talking to him, and he'd really enjoy having an excuse to actually see him face to face again. One that didn't feel as awkward as inviting him for dinner or coffee, nor that required Yosuke lying about his scooter breaking.  
If the others wanted to think they were dating or that Yosuke had some weird, one-sided crush, that was their issue, wasn't it? He was sure he could deal with the light taunting, and if it did get to be too much, he knew he could ask people to cut it out (or have Chie do it, Chie was quite convincing when she wanted to be). 

Yet for some reason, Yosuke finds himself in bed, hair wet, phone held up to his face, glaring at the blinking message he still hadn't sent while trying to convince himself that inviting your friend to a company party wasn't weird.  
It wasn't.

Five hours before the party, Yosuke's got a towel around his shoulders while he contemplates life in his underwear, lying back, when his phone drops right onto his face with enough force to have him shouting out, pressing a hand to the offended spot. 

He grabs the offending device back, staring at the screen beyond the tears blurring his eyes with shock at finding he'd somehow dialed Yu's number. He's reaching to fervently press the red button to end the call when he hears Yu's voice on the other end.

"Hello? Yosuke-" his heart hammers, loud and nervous. It'd been a bit since he'd heard Yu's voice. "Yosuke, is everything okay?"

"H-hey!"

"Oh, hi," Yu releases a breath of relief. "Did you butt dial me?"

Yosuke nearly chokes. "No! My phone just fell on my face!"

Yu does laugh this time, though the sympathy is clear in his tone. "That's even worse. Are you okay?"

"My ego's a little bruised, but I'm fine..."

There's a bit of silence for a moment, Yosuke hears scratching and something that sounds suspiciously like a cat's meow for attention.

"Are you, uh...busy right now?"

"Hm, not really." the next meow is closer to the phone. Yosuke pictures Yu bending to scratch the cat under the chin. He wonders which of the thousands that flocked to Yu's home this one was. "Did you need something?"

"Not exactly." Yosuke steels himself. If he'd dialed by accident then perhaps it was merely meant to be. "I happen to have a company party tonight...and I was wondering if you maybe, wanted to, come along or something?"

"Ah, Yukiko mentioned that." 

"She did?" Yosuke's voice sounds shrill to his own ears and Yu chuckles in response.

"Don't worry, she just said she's going with Chie. She was excited. Your parties must be good."

"They're alright." he's unreasonably nervous as he waits for Yu's conclusion.

"I suppose I might have a shirt in my closet for the occasion."

His traitorous heart stops, picks up double time and nearly jumps to his throat as he tries to compose himself, feet whacking the air. 

"Cool. I'll pick you up then, at six."

"Alright, can't wait."

Yosuke tries really hard to not think about how pleased Yu had seemed through the line as he focuses on rejecting every piece of clothing he owned all over again. And maybe he was too intent for someone who was merely having a friend tag along to the company party, but it wasn't as if Yosuke never tried to look his best at these functions, and Yu would likely look amazing, no matter what. Yosuke had to amp up his game more than usual if he didn't want to pale in comparison.

That's what he kept telling himself at least, as he sprayed on his best cologne, popped in a breath mint and gelled his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyways, we all know that nothing goes unnoticed at the work place (or school). EVER. People will always talk and tease and it's annoying but amusing at times. This chapter was fun to write because I think we all go through the stages of denial Yosuke went through. Though bringing your friend to a work function is a pretty big step, we'll see how that goes. 👀


	7. Chapter 7

Yosuke's not prepared for it. He isn't. He feels like he's been punched in the gut, or like his phone has landed on his face all over again.

Yu smiles at him, playful around the edges as he shuts the door behind his back.

"Ready to go?"

Yosuke must say something in reply. He's sure he does because they're walking to where he parked his scooter and he's handing Yu one of the spare helmets, helping him clip it on and secure it. And with Yu's face mostly hidden from view, he can focus enough to tell him to hold on tight.

Yu hums a sort of nervous sound, clinging tighter than was likely necessary, and Yosuke's chest squeezes a bit around the edges, as he laughs lightly, snapping out of his daze.

"It'll be alright, I'll drive slow."

"I trust you."

And with the way that makes him feel Yosuke's suddenly made to wonder if he can trust _himself_.

He doesn't rush, nor speed, and manages to drive without a hitch. Muscle memory was truly a blessing. He parks, takes off his helmet with the renewed awareness that his meticulously styled hair would be ruined, though that hardly seems to matter as Yu puts his own borrowed helmet down and glances at Yosuke with flushed cheeks and a few stray locks clinging to his forehead.

His forehead.

Seeing it again, Yosuke found himself once more reeling to wrap his mind around it. Yu Narukami had a forehead. A really nice forehead. And with his bangs partially out of the way, his eyes seemed to pop more. Those very eyes were curling with amusement as Yosuke came to find they were still standing like idiots in the parking lot.

"Ready to go?"

"Of course."

Yosuke doesn't offer out his arm, even if a part of him really wants to. It almost feels right to do so, but he doesn't. He has to spare himself further embarrassment while he can.

The elevator ride is a bit stiff, Yu staring around with fidgeting hands in a way that could almost be considered nervous. 

Though there was no reason for it, as soon as he walks into the bustle of dressed up co-workers, all faces turn to him, some lighting up with mischievous familiarity others with dawning curiosity. Yosuke valiantly ignores all of them as he searches for Chie and Yukiko.

"Over here!"

Yukiko has her hair up in a bun, a thin necklace around her neck that matched Chie's. She looks beautiful, as usual, perhaps a bit more so, and Yosuke's inclined to say that even Chie had cleaned up nicely, but he wanted to avoid getting kicked.

"Hey, you made it!"

Yu nods, scratching at his neck. "Yes, it's nice to finally meet you in person, Chie, was it?"

"That's me, yup." they shake hands, share pleasantries.

🎉

Time drags. Yukiko had roped Yu into a silent, but excited conversation, leaving Yosuke to grab drinks while Chie stares after him like a very satisfied feline.

"Is that him?"

Yosuke nearly drops the drinks in his hands as he's accosted.

"W-who?"

"Your boy."

Yosuke balks but Tiffany's undeterred a she sidles closer.

"He's really good looking." Rin joins them, slinking an arm over Tiffany's shoulder in camaraderie. "I had my doubts but he's _really_ good looking."

"Does he dye his hair or is it just like that?"

"He's prematurely gray." Yosuke finds himself replying, almost on auto-pilot. He wants to slap himself once it's out, even as Rin nods, and Tiffany mentions that she has a great aunt in the family that had gone _salt 'n' pepper_ quite early in life too.

"It suits him."

"Right?"

Yosuke tries to slink away as subtly as possible, Yu seemingly spotting him and beaming from where he'd glanced up from his chattering.

"Wow, _cu-_ te."

Yosuke's relieved he hadn't been the one to say that out loud.

"Hey, if you're really not dating him, introduce me." Tiffany notes, finally letting him move safely from her grasp.

"Oh! Oh, me too!" Rin calls after him. He can hear their laughter even once he's reached Yu and passed him his drink, the perspiration from the glasses masking Yosuke's sweaty hands.

"Friends of yours?"

"No." Yosuke mumbles, far more upset than he really had to be. He lets out a sigh. "They just thought you were cute."

Yu's single visible brow raises. Next to him, Yukiko breaks into one of her fits of unending laughter, slapping Chie's arm. Yosuke's glad they're too caught up in each other to pay attention to his petulance.

"Me?"

"Don't act coy." Yosuke rolls his eyes, shoving Yu lightly with a shoulder. Yu giggles lightly, taking a sip of his drink, his throat bobbing. Yosuke watches the movement, before downing his own share, a bit too quickly.

His insides burn.

"Do you think so too?"

"Think what?"

"That I'm cute."

Yukiko and Chie fall suspiciously quite, Chie clearing her throat too pointedly for it to not be obvious, while Yukiko practically calls out the fact that they're going to check the snacks table. 

Yosuke's face goes hot. Yu's not looking at him, his gaze having taken a sudden interest in the lights, a faint dusting of pink high on his cheek bones.

Yosuke wishes he had another drink at hand as he rubs a palm down his suit jacket.

"You're not bad."

Yu pouts at him, clearing teasing. "Only not bad?"

"Yeah. I'm not really into the whole gray hair thing." he points vaguely.

An utter lie. Yu laughs anyhow, and Yosuke relaxes slightly.

"Well, I for one, think you look really nice tonight."

"Just tonight?" Yosuke blurts.

Yu laughs again, hand coming up to cover his mouth. Yosuke can see teeth peeking out from the gaps of his fingers.

"Always,"

It's not flirting. It's just banter. Friendly banter. Between friends. It's definitely not flirting. And it still isn't, when later in the night after Yosuke's had a good few drinks more and they're out by the balcony enjoying the cool breeze, he drops his head onto his arms and says, just loud enough for Yu to hear.

"You're not cute. You're beautiful."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Busy week, and I started getting a little sick. Wasn't feeling my best today so I took the time to edit and update since I couldn't make it to class. I'm a huge sucker for Yu Narukami looking cute without his bangs because it's TRUE. And if I keep repeating that theme in EVERY fic well, it's not my fault. ;-; Anyways, Yosuke just went out there and said THAT and I think that's very bold of him. But it's just banter of course, what ELSE would it be?  
> I hope this chapter is enjoyable. I've got like, two more lined up, probably, and that will be that. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the comments and kudos. <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm at home for most of the week, and still a bit sick so I took the opportunity to update again. This is the uh, semi-last chapter not counting the bonus? I had way too much fun with Yosuke tripping over himself. I always do. I hope you all have fun reading this! I'll try to post the last chapters soon! Take care of yourselves! <3

Enough happens at the party that Yosuke's spared from being the most popular topic of conversation, though he does get more than one person asking him what product Yu used on his hair to have it looking so nice.

Chie doesn't say anything, much to his growing suspicion, and when he bumps into Yukiko, she does a valiant job of not prying as well.

Yu acts much the same as he always does. They return to their usual daily texting, the likes of which Yosuke doesn't seem to be satisfied with anymore. He finds himself wanting to see Yu more and more often than is necessary.

He almost begs Yukiko to set up an outing with the lot of them if only to spare him the grief, but decides against it in case she attempts to finally drill him with questions he wouldn't enjoy answering.

It's Sunday morning when Yosuke decides he's going to stop moping, and as a reward for actually cleaning up his apartment in a timely manner for once, invite Yu to have breakfast with him at a hip breakfast joint downtown.

As usual, Yu agrees with no hassle, and it makes Yosuke wonder why he makes inviting his friend out into such a big deal. Friends went out with each other. He was always out and about with Chie and Yukiko when their schedules matched up.

He arrives at the place first. It's crowded, mainly with people younger than him, which made him feel oddly old as he stood, hands in his coat pockets, swinging on the balls of his feet and avoiding being bumped into.

Yu's not hard to find. He jogs up, a beanie placed over his head, and a hand waving pleasantly at Yosuke.

"Did you wait long?"

"No." Yosuke says, though he's thinking he'd literally wait for Yu forever and not even complain about it. He cuts that thought off by the root before it can sink too far into his brain.

"That's quite a lot of people, huh?"

"Yeah, I didn't think it'd be like this. We can go somewhere else if you want."

"No. You wanted to come here, right?" Yu smiles, and his eyes crinkle. "We can take it to go."

There's a bit of scuffle over who's paying, before Yosuke manages to win, saying that he's probably got a slightly better salary than a teacher, which is a low blow but Yu doesn't seem to mind as he orders the lavish, overly priced coffee he'd been eyeing. Yosuke's not sure if it's a bit of jab at his person or not, but he finds he doesn't care as they get their paper bags and take the short stroll to the nearby park.

It's almost a picnic, their meals by their sides on the bench, the sky blue, and the occasional dog passing by with a curious nose in the air.

"We should do this more often."

Yu nearly talks around his egg toast, stops himself quickly, hand covering his mouth.

"Would you like to?"

There's an almost eager energy to him that's not usually present, and Yosuke's lips twitch, sort of fond, sort of surprised, as he nods his face going hot.

"For sure."

🥐

They meet again.

For a movie, for coffee, to check the newest release of a game Yosuke was interested in or to visit the cat café that had opened a few streets down from Yu's apartment.

It becomes routine. Chie complains that he's spending more time with his new friend than with her. Yosuke thinks that's a lie because he sees her plenty at work, almost every day. She insists it's not the same.

Yosuke feels guilty enough to invite her to hang out only for her to turn it down, claiming she has a date with Yukiko.

"See if I ever feel bad for you again."

"Stop acting like you're not happy to have an excuse to go out with your _new_ best friend."

"It's not like that!" Yosuke groans, head falling back on his chair. It swivels slightly. Chie makes a face around her egg roll.

"What's it like then?"

Yosuke skirts around the implications there, turning instead to face her as earnestly as he can, sandwich cradled in both hands.

"You're still my best friend no matter what."

This seems to catch her off guard. She flushes, face going a frightening shade of red, before she lunges out a leg, quick as lightning, sending Yosuke toppling to the ground.

"The hell?!"

"You're my best friend too." she grumbles, as he's recovering with a wince.

Yosuke rubs at his elbow. "You don't have to beat me up to show that!"

"Shut up! Don't try to skirt around the issue!"

"What issue!?!"

They get a glare from Taichi from across the hall. Chie shushes Yosuke loudly as if he'd been the one making noise in the first place. He wonders if she'd suddenly forgotten she was above Taichi in the corporate ladder, not that it mattered considering Taichi was the devil when he was on the phone.

"The issue with Narukami."

"There's no issue." Yosuke says, too quickly. Chie gives her usual ugly snort of doubt.

"That's not what Yukiko says..."

"Did Yu say something?"

" _I'm_ not telling. But I think it'll do with remembering this is the guy who asked for your number, talked to you every day on the bus despite you being a total weirdo, and even accompanied you to the party when he really didn't have to. At all."

Yosuke stares down at his feet, feeling something hot climb up his neck. "S-so?"

"Come to your own conclusions, Yosuke. I've done all I can as your official best friend."

She moves off with a flare, and Yosuke almost calls out to say she had done nothing beyond confuse him and make him second guess everything that had happened up to that point.

Had he missed something? With the way his friendship with Yu had been developing he'd forgotten all about Chie's crush theory. There was no way that was still on the table, right? And if it was, what did Yosuke feel about it?

He thinks about Yu that night, fingers tucking his bangs back, vague flush visible even under the moon, the noise of the party muted as Yosuke got lost simply staring at him. He thinks about Yu in the karaoke bar bathroom, his cologne warm and stark, his voice clear against the drip-drip of a sink. He thinks about Yu with the slow smile in the bus, his glasses falling off his noise, his eyes curling.

He thinks about Yu beaming every time he sees Yosuke. He thinks about the way his own heart gets warm, warm, warmer, growing almost like the Grinch's in that movie Yosuke had watched years back.

He thinks of how he'd straight up called Yu beautiful, like a perfectly love struck fool, only to turn back and act like it had never happened in the first place.

He's an idiot. He knows he's an idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3c


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm going to say something but I want you to not react to it at all."

Chie stops chewing. "I mean, I'll try."

"I mean it." Yosuke hisses.

Chie wipes her hands on a napkin, pretends to school her features.

Yosuke can see her brow twitch, her leg tapping nervously under the table. "I think I might like him."

Chie takes a deep breath. Her cheeks puff out. Her eyes go wide then close. She lets it out an audible 'woosh'.

"I see." she squeaks, quickly stuffing her face with another meat bun. "That's great," she notes, around a mouthful.

"I know you want to say I told you."

"Kind of, yeah. But that's...like a dick move. So I won't."

"Thanks." Yosuke rolls his eyes, pushing his food around.

"What're you going to do about it?"

"I'm...not sure yet." he rubs at his head. "Do you think I should tell him?"

"Definitely."

"What if he doesn't like me?"

"Are you kidding?!" Chie falls back onto her seat with a loud, overdramatic groan. "Are you, fucking kidding me, Yosuke?"

"Dude!"

She gestures strongly in his direction. Yosuke shrinks back, worried she's going to send one of the table decorations hurtling in his direction.

"I've been telling you he likes you from day one, and if you stop being a coward for a hot minute, you'll see I'm right."

"I don't know..." Yosuke trails off, legs shuffling under the table. He glances to the side, nervous. "I really like him, Chie."

"Oh." she clears her throat. "Well, look, I don't think Naru-Yu, is the type to make these things awkward. Yukiko's always crowing about how great he is. I doubt he'd let it ruin your friendship, if it came down to it." her hand lands atop Yosuke's with a bit too much force. "And if you need to cry about it later, I'll be here."

"I won't cry about it." Yosuke grumbles, but his lips twitch into a smile as his shoulders sag with the relief of finally speaking the truth into the universe. It felt like it'd been a long time coming, anyhow.

🌹

They make a plan. Because of course Chie and Yukiko wouldn't let him go into the whole thing however he wanted. Yukiko seemed to be holding back the whole time, and Chie kept insisting that if they left Yosuke to his own devices he'd end up winning the prize for worst confession in history, ever.

Yosuke makes reservations at a restaurant, with enough of an ambiance to make a point. He lets Yu know in advance so he can clear his schedule, and spends a day out and about looking for cheap but beautiful flowers. Yukiko keeps sighing about the flowers Chie had gotten her on their first date, and Yosuke valiantly ignores her as he tries to not hear his wallet's protests.

It was worth it. Yu was worth it. Anything that would make him less like he was walking to his death was worth it. Yosuke had never had much luck in love.

Most of his relationships either didn't last long or soured right off the bat. He didn't really have the best way with words, and that was perhaps what landed him in hot water at times. He could still remember the rejection he'd received in his 3rd year of High School like it'd been yesterday.

He's aware, obviously, that Yu wouldn't be anything like his prior experiences. The most that would happen was that Yu would give his light, amused laugh at Yosuke's expense, and Yosuke would wish to melt into the ground, only for Yu to expertly smooth over the whole situation. Things would be weird for a week and then they'd be friends again.

"You shouldn't be thinking of the worst case scenario." Yukiko notes. They're in Yosuke's apartment and she's styling his hair, a concentrated look on her face as she steals glances at the tutorial open on her phone.

"There's totally something you're not telling me."

"It's not my something to tell!" she chides, moving back to look him over and nodding. "Looks great."

"That's a heck of a compliment coming from you."

"It is, isn't it?"

She gives him a final pat on the back before leaving, and Yosuke checks his watch every minute or so before deciding to head to the restaurant. He'd likely feel less fidgety waiting there rather than in the cramped walls of his place. 

It's just his luck that Yu's already there when he arrives. His bangs are, thankfully, on his face, and he's sporting his usual, meticulous and shining bowl cut. He looks sleek, in a soft dark cardigan, a hand hanging by his side and the other resting in his pocket.

His face lights up when he spots Yosuke. And it's something Yosuke should be used to, but he can't quite seem to do it. His own lips break into what's likely a dopey smile of his own.

"Hey,"

"Hi. This place is really nice." he says this in a stage whisper, glancing behind them. "Wasn't it expensive?"

"A little, so you'd better appreciate it."

He laughs, before nodding, solemn. "I will."

They're lead to their table, by the window overlooking a neatly trimmed garden, candles swaying on the fine table cloth. Yu marvels at the sight of it, and the waiter helpfully explains they're free to explore it once they're done eating.

Yosuke almost thanks the man for the tip, but stops himself in time. He ought not to spoil things before they start.

Dinner's an affair had in parts.

Dessert ends up being Yu's favorite part. Yosuke still finds the fact that Yu Narukami has a sweet tooth to be unbearably cute. Yu keeps explaining that it's all the time he'd spent with his little cousin when he was younger, but Yosuke refuses to buy the excuse.

Once the check's covered and Yosuke's credit card recovers from the shock, he leads Yu out the garden, lit up with gentle lights.

He can see a few moths flutter by the lamps, and Yu seems to flit into his orbit much the same way, their arms brushing.

Yosuke sneaks out a pinky, breaking the distance. Yu curls their fingers together, staring down, expression unreadable.

"Is this a date?" he asks, suddenly, as they stop in front of a river, dark against the night sky. In the distance, the city lights are like stars.

Yosuke's throat tightens.

"I kind of wanted it to be." he scuffs his shoe on the ground. "Sorry I didn't tell you before."

"Don't be. It's a nice surprise." his lips curl sweetly. "Does this mean you like me?"

Behind the mischief there's a near vulnerability, there's the same fascinated gaze Yosuke had caught staring back at him during his commutes.

He breathes.

"Yeah."

"Oh, good. That means I can do this, then."

And he leans over and kisses Yosuke.

It's better than he could have ever imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is technically the last chapter! There's a litte bonus because it seems I can't end things on an odd number for some reason!   
> I really loved writing this. It went through some ups and downs with me and I hope this warms everyone's hearts somehow. Thank you so much for all the comments, all the kudos, all the kindness and motivation! I really enjoyed attempting something more mature (?).


	10. Chapter 10

Yu's not sure which one of them stares first. He feels the other's gaze even as he tries to concentrate on the pages of his book. He uses pushing up his glasses as an excuse to glance back, glad, for the first time, that they never seemed to fit his face properly.

It becomes a ritual of some sort, and Yu basks in it. It's fun, and novel, and something to think about in the odd hours between preparing classes when he feels like the words are blurring together.

The first time they talk to each other, it's nothing like he'd anticipated but much better than anything he could have imagined, and Yu finds himself wanting to know more about the man who seemed to have a strange fascination with his hair.

He learns his name is Yosuke Hanamura and that almost makes them feel like friends. A part of Yu has come to accept that he already thinks of Yosuke as more than just a stranger on the bus, especially with how much he looks forward to seeing him every day.

It's not until he's bed ridden, and staring at the ceiling of his apartment, sinking in his own loneliness, the likes of which not even a call from Nanako can heal, that he realizes just how much he'd been basing his happiness around seeing Yosuke in the mornings.

He wonders, dazed, if Yosuke will forget about him, if Yosuke will miss him the way he's missing him.

It must be fate. It has to be fate, there's no other way around it. Yu had gone to the mixer as a favor to one of his coworkers and Yosuke had been there. Yosuke had been there. Yu chases him down almost on instinct, with a sort of antsy thing clambering up his heart.

_I missed talking to you too so..._

They truly become friends then. They chat, Yosuke invites him to the company party and Yu over-thinks the invitation the whole time before deciding he'll simply enjoy the moment.

He's not sure if he imagines what Yosuke says at the end of the night, but he holds it close to his heart as they begin getting together with more frequency, until it simply seems natural.

And all the while he can't stop thinking about how much he likes Yosuke Hanamura. He doesn't let himself hope that Yosuke likes him too, though sometimes he has a feeling that it's mutual, or at least, has the potential to be.

But Yu's not that confident nor is he that cocky.

Their first _first_ date is nearly lavish, the kind of thing Yu wouldn't be able to afford. Yosuke goes as far as to get him flowers, which he hands over, with a vibrant flush on his face as he drops Yu off at his apartment.

Yu presses one of them between the pages of a heavy tome from his bookshelf so he'll always remember it.

"You know, I'm really glad my hair fascinated you so much."

He says, one morning, over coffee, and Yosuke stops clattering on his laptop to look at him.

"I still don't believe you're prematurely gray." he grumbles, frowning in a way that Yu knows means he isn't truly upset.

Yu's lips twitch. "The mystery's part of the charm."

Yosuke kicks him under the table before kissing him and all's well with the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually cried editing this. I'm not sure if it's stress getting to me or if I wish that I was as in love with someone as these two. If you catch any errors I am very sorry.   
> I hope life is treating everyone well, hopefully this "final chapter" that's sort of an extra but not really puts a smile on your faces and brightens your days. Once again as usual, thank you so much for the comments and kudos, they really put a huge grin on my face and make my heart light.


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